Preview:
Azam-less Pakistan will take on Williamson-less New Zealand in the 1st T20I of the tournament. Babar Azam has picked up an injury and is ruled out of the series while Williamson, who is on paternity leave, is expected to join the team in the latter part of the series.
This opens the door of opportunity for a few youngsters in Pakistan team to take more responsibility and show case their talent. For Pakistan, a lot depends on their bowlers while New Zealand will be hoping that their batting order comes good in this series as well.
Probable playing XI:
New Zealand:
Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (WK), Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (C), Scott Kuggelejin, Todd Astle, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
Pakistan:
Abdullah Shafique, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Usman Qadir/Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Fantasy XI:
H Ali, M Hafeez, M Rizwan, S Afridi, M Guptill, G Phillips, D Conway, T Seifert, I Sodhi, J Duffy, J Neesham
Captain Choices: Guptill, Phillips, Hafeez, Afridi
